The Dickinson press. (Dickinson, Stark County, D.T. [i.e. N.D.]) 1883-1927, 1887-06-11
room from below, and then q sound of An
nunziata sobbing and walking

anu hard under her pain. She was angry
with the world, with babho and Antonio, an
CRY with old Nunziata, and most of all angry
WIN herself. And just because she was an
CRY with herself she began to wrap q chill
1nahtel OF self-Justitication about her. She
ana Nulizlata had been rather estranged of
late, and the last few days Francesca said to
herself that Annunziata had been unliind and
sulky.
Oh, yes, that was it, She was as sullen as
it was possible to be. She had hardly spoken
word. Francesca liked to be spoilt and i'm
Pored, although she turned away and cried,
leave me i'll peace" Now, Annunziata had
some trouble. All, she too would know tho
dreadful torment of suffering when all around
was smiling with glce, smiling and beckoning,
"Come, he happy, be happy"
Annunziata would now understand q little
or her pain. But only little, for the old
cannot feel with those awful vivid throbs
which icnd the e, ger Icing of the young. So
Francesca turneC! back with her worst feel
'ngs uppermost, and plunged her little hands
about Ill the grain for her doves. Let Annun-
z'at' come to her if she wished for sympathy,
ant, she made the grain slip through her fin
gers Ill golden streams Why did Annunziata
sob so bitterly! Such pain began to creep
about francescas heart! Presently she heard
4alinuiiziiita coming up the stairs, sobbing all
the while. Frauccscas heart throhbed very
| fast.
Annl;nziata opened the door and came in
WITH coffee and brioche on a tray. Her face
was c"nvulscd and her lips twitched. She did
not tly to lido the disarray of her grief, but
set TIL" tray OH a table near Francesca without
II word and turned ami left the room AS She
slj,f a
Il moment, then she sprang after her and
called i'll the passages in vibrating voice:
"Alinunziata!'
"Sisnorina,' replied the nurse.
"Annun1iata, come back" cried Francesca,
i'll an imperative tone. Annnzata followed
Francesca back to her roon
"Nunziata, what is the matters Why
don't You speak to me."
"Al, s!snorina, why should tell you my
sorrow:' said the old Nurse with mournful
Gentlencss You care no more for us. nor
our joys and woes. You drive us away from
you with cold words. When l come in here
| do not find the dear little angel of old,
ready with smile ana kiss for her old nurse,
but: l'roud, larsh signorlna, who has tor
gotten all her faithful friends"
"Atu!ziata, it is you WHO have been un-
KNIT; You have not spoken TO me-
"Sisncrina how could | speak? If open
FAY lips the signorina cries. Leave mo in
l'aace Besides my heart has been weighed
'io"n These are dark days for the country I"
-" hat do you mean, Nunziata!' asked
Francesca. a swift flash of remembrau.
dlrled through her brain
'Ainlc! While the signorina has been shut
up alone, taking no part in our troubles,
many hearts have been broken. There have
been soldiers here, soldiers there, Garibaldina
everywhere, and the news of battles, and
every town has widows and orphans, and
mothers weeping for their sons" Francesca
WAS stunned. All this time she had forgotten
the struggles of her country.
There was II horrible battle few DAYS
ago, and much slaughter. Many of our
youth went this morning at duybreali to Join
the GaribaIdina." Annunziata's lips trem-
bcd. Tranccsca's heart gavo great bound
and then stood still. Her lips turned white.
lier great eyes diatcd with II sudden terror.
Annunziata began again. "The signorin;.
has told us all that she wishes to die, and lie
down below i'll the little churchyard. Il care
for i:otliiilg, nothing, let me die!' cried the
slsEorina. But the Sigmor Antonio, good,
patient soul, he too cares for nothing now
nothing for himself. The ssignor Antonio has
;s'llie w tllc lCf his country.
"Aunziatn. There was harsh iarring of
jain i'll Frallcesc;i's cry. But Annunziat;.
went on with touch of that cruelty that
sometimes leaps up i'll tho gentlest creatures
~ cS. the Signor Antonio wastes no breath
on words. He has gone to die, an, all be-
cause the sgnorina's soft Italian heart has
gone away, and another heart come, hard n,
steel, hard as iron, harder than the marble of
Carrara."
"Annunziata, you are wicked, cruel old
woman.' cried Francesca, passionately,
You know that it is not true. You know
that Antonio would never havo refused the
call of his country" Her great eyes were
flushing shining SO brilliantly that her face
seemed tra!isfi@urel in the t!c,uuous glow,
Annunzitl thought She was more beautiful
Than all thesaiilts in heaven. They were both
sowretchcd, and their hearts beat in harmony
"f sorrow; but they We're also angry and ex-
cited and unforgiving
"Ah. The signorina is happy to console
herself so easily" i:loaned 4innunziata, Us she
went away down the large flight of stairs
This sharp touch of life's reality worked a
change in Francesca She was pursued by a
haunting uneasiness for her brother Antonio
She insisted iercely to herself that lie was
merely brother. The best and kin,lest of
brothers-a more faithful slave would never
lcfoun'-but still a brother only She crept
downstairs. The professore was in his studio,
his head bent over q large tome.
'Babbo, don't bring any of the students
here, and then / will have my dinner with
you," she said.
The Irofessore looked up with preoccupied
smile, but he stroked the small black head and
promised obedience.
But somehow, dinner alone with babbo,
while Annunziata hovered reproacEfully
near, oppressed Francesca. She and babbo
never had much to say to each other, but now
She seemed to have lost touch CT him alto
gether Some chord that had bound her to
him lad snapped. In tiny world they stood
wi!e distances apart Was it that Antonio.
With his quick sympathy and gentlo tact, had
revealed these two opposite beings to one
another and united them in the light of his
large understandings
Truly there was great void without An
tonic. She never remembered time wbeu
he Lad not filled her life with sense of ten
dciness and protecting love- Yet till he was
gone she hardly knew he was there. Strange
and inexplicable enigma. 1t all came upon
ilcr .lD'" in the light Of revelation. If An
tonic never came home again, how little and
empty her Life would be-! A sharp pang of
fernorse smote her, which duled into gnaw-
ing pain as the days dragged by in the
shadow of suspense.
Sic liked now to sit under the shade of the
gray green olive trees on the sunny vine
trel:sed terrace.
She could hear the wind rustling in the